All I Need to Know about Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger

Lloyd asked that I write a review of this book because Troma is in dire straits. It seems we've taken them for granted for far too long. The media giants are trying to crush the independent studios and Troma is falling on hard times. You want to know what it's like to make a REAL movie? Read this book, skip reading Entertainment Weekly or Premiere. They're entertaining magazines, but not the real, low-budget truth. Lloyd and James Gunn tell it like it is in this book. It's also one of the funniest books I've ever read. Even funnier than Howard Stern's "Private Parts", which is no easy feat. Troma was the launching ground for James Gunn, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, Tiffany Shepis, and countless others. While they've gone on to bigger things, Lloyd has always been there - for us. Making great entertaining movies and supporting the low-budget filmmaker. No Troma/No Fun, Know Troma/Know Fun. Read the book, watch the movies, and most importantly, support Troma.

I'm an avid reader of HOW TO MAKE FILM books as well as BEHIND THE SCENES OF FAMOUS MOVIES books. I wouldn't be exaggerating to say I've read over a hundred in these genres.Without a doubt, ALL I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FILMMAKING I LEARNED FROM THE TOXIC AVENGER was the funniest, most insightful and informative book in this area I have ever read.Lloyd Kaufman manages to be the jester and the sage from moment to moment (often at the same time), as he hysterically and with sensitivity, recounts his early filmmaking mistakes, hardships and triumphs on the road to creating the TOXIC AVENGER, TROMEO & JULIET and the TROMA world. His scathing, sometimes shocking anecdotes of his work on ROCKY and SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER have forever changed how I will view these films and the people connected with them.From the wild, over the top cover art, I thought the book would be complete fluff, but was surprised to find a depth and honesty most "tell all books" could only dream of achieving. To say it was a page turner would be putting it lightly. One simply cannot stop reading this comic masterpiece until completion.I was moved at the handling of his personal life and simultaneously found myself laughing out loud. I read a portion of this book on a long plane trip and people kept looking over at me as if I were crazy as I repeatedly burst into laughter.This is a book I will keep, re-read and wish to share with others.

If you happened to go to college in the 70's or 80's then your know what TROMA is all about. Lloyd Kaufman has written the best book of all time. It has all the stories of troma (and probably stuff you didn't know). He writes in a way that's it's so hard to put down. Definetley for any perosn who's a fan or ever been a fan of the Troma Enterprise. The book has some of the best information on some of the best troma films such as The Toxic Avenger, class of nuke em high, bloodsucking freaks, surf nazis must die etc..... This book has made a mark in troma history. Lloyd Kaufman has to be one of the best authors out there. Roger Corman does an introduction at the beginning and is co-writed by James Gunn. I've read it 3 times and every time I found something new and interesting. Though troma has not many well known films, they are liked by the people who know about them. The troma gospel has been going on for 25 years and each day a new tromafan is born.

After getting word right from Troma's slobbering mouth, I search for and purchased this book without hesitation. It's one of the best reads I've ever had. Having seen most of the films in the Troma library, I knew what I was getting into. At least I thought I did. The book is laced with cleaver quips from the equally twisted minds of both Kaufman and Gunn. Exchanges like: "What if it's a kid's movie? Like about dancing raccoons or something?" Lloyd responds: "Throw in a gun. If raccoons can dance they can g******n well pack heat." Now, how did someone who started working on productions like "Rocky" and "Saturday Night Fever" co-unleash Troma unto us? Lloyd Kaufman acutally has a human side to him. The side that believes in making a movie as best as it can be(within in the budget, of course); not sacrificing a project to commerciality; and standing behind what he believes in no matter how much flack it gets. Even if you don't like Troma, have never heard of Troma or don't eat meat, there's enough insight and humor to keep most anyone interested. The book presents a view from both sides of filmmaking: Hollywood and independent. It's admittedly not a "how to" guide on how to succeed or make independent films, but the ride through each chapter will leave you begging for more. And besides, it's fun to see Lloyd give Hollywood "the finger."